NMSU receives US$1.2 million for climate change research

NEW MEXICO – New Mexico State University (NMSU) has received a US$1.2 million grant for a four-year research project on climate change.

The initiative is a collaboration between NMSU, Auburn University and the University of Delaware, and is part of a US$56 million National Science Foundation (NSF) investment in research on this crucial topic.

The project aims to develop agricultural practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve soil health and increase crop resilience to extreme weather events such as drought. In addition, the initiative seeks to train undergraduate and graduate students, as well as scientists, in the field of climate change research.

The NMSU research team is led by Rajan Ghimire, associate professor and cropping systems agronomist at NMSU’s Agricultural Science Center in Clovis. The team also includes Shannon Norris-Parish, assistant professor of agricultural education and extension, and Jinfa Zhang, professor of plant and environmental sciences.

The two main crops to be studied in this project are cotton and peanut. Cotton and sorghum will be tested in New Mexico. Ghimire will focus on research at the Clovis Agricultural Science Center, where biochar (a charcoal-like substance) and compost will be experimented with in laboratory, greenhouse and field settings.

This project has the potential to provide significant benefits to farmers in New Mexico and the nation by providing tools and strategies to meet the challenges of climate change. The initiative will also help NMSU maintain its leadership position in research and education on this critical issue.